Stem Cell - Aron

Stem Cells

The properties of stem cells were discovered by scientists in 1998. Stem cells are used by organisms to create different cells during the first stages of life, and they are also used to regenerate tissue and to create blood cells (Allott pg.12-13). For example, the stem cells of a developing zygote will separate, and each group will reproduce to create a certain cell type for bodily functions (muscle cells, brain cells, heart cells, etc.). Even though stem cells will branch out to create differentiated cells after the zygote starts to develop, stem cells can still be found in areas such as the bone marrow in adults. To be more specific, adults have stem cells in their: bone marrow, skin, heart, brain, liver, and kidneys(Allott pg.12-13). The problem with the stem cells in adults are that certain organ stem cells (heart, brain, and kidney) can only help regrow tissue to a certain extent(Allott pg.12-13).

Stem cells can be used for a variety of outcomes which may benefit the human race. One prominent example, which stuck out to me, was that stem cells can be used for consumption (figure #1). Scientists can actually grow edible muscle fibres from stem cells(Allott pg.13). I find this to be very beneficial, because of the time it takes to raise animals and the ethical arguments against slaughtering animals. When people harvest meat from animals, they will leave most of the animal’s internal organs. For example, when I watched my dad gut a fish, he basically threw away every organ while leaving the muscle fibres and skin. “Why would an animal life be extinguished for food, even though people end up tossing away the good bits” (Aron, 2015, a day before this is due (great quotes of our time)).

Figure #1- The first ‘stem cell burger’

Stem cells can also be used for health issues, and I will explain their uses in Heart disease and Leukemia. Heart disease is defined when heart muscles start to deteriorate because the muscles of the heart are not receiving enough oxygen. According to the ‘National Institutes of Health’, stem cells that are believed to help with this disease are: embryonic stem cells, certain stem cells from the bone marrow (mesenchymal cells), and stem cells taken from the umbilical cord. These stem cells could possibly regrow the damaged muscle brought by Heart disease. Stem cells can help with Leukemia due to the effects of Chemotherapy. Allott states that the effects of Leukemia are an overproduction of white blood cells (Allott pg.14). While Chemotherapy will destroy all of these white blood cells, it will also end in the extermination of stem cells in the marrow(Allott pg.14). If the stem cells in the bone marrow were eradicated, the certain individual would have a hard time with his immunity. Now, you may be wondering why I am saying stem cells are good in this situation. You may be saying “Aron, stem cells are keeping us from healing chemotherapy,”, but scientists have found a way around this. The boys at Oxford University Press (Allott/Mindorff) explain that doctors will suck out the stem cells from one of the body’s bigger bones (usually the pelvis)(Allott pg.14). The doctors will insert the stem cells back into the patient’s bone, so the body will start producing white blood cells to strengthen immunity (Allott pg.14). So without stem cell research, Chemotherapy would be a very dangerous task to undergo.

Figure #2- Removing stem cells from pelvis -”Chemotherapy is a pain in the …” (“Comedy doesn’t work unless someone is getting offended”-George Carlin)

The biggest debates against using stem cells is the destruction of an embryo, and there are some problems that arise from certain types of stem cells. Some people believe that the embryo is technically a living and feeling being, which would be like killing a human child. Ian Murnaghan suggests that there is some controversy to embryo stem cell research, because most practices including stem cells mostly include those from adults . As a different perspective, other individuals believe that embryos do not equate to a human child. I can vouch for this perspective, because the human society makes me believe that this is true. For example, if life really began when you were an embryo, then why don’t you count those 9 months to your age. Another example can be from a TOK class, where I was told that the child could be considered as part of the mother until the umbilical cord is cut. Allott and Mindorff suggest that embryonic stem cells could be more likely to turn into tumor cells (Allott pg.15). They also suggest that embryonic cells have a high chance of being genetically different from the recipient (Allott pg.15). This may be a problem when dealing with immunity, where white blood cells will attack any cells that are unfamiliar. While there may be some good arguments against stem cell research people “Must not forget ethical arguments in favour of the use of embryonic stem cells,”, which is a quote from the book by Allott and Mindorff. They make a good point, because stem cell research can be used to benefit the lives of others with diseases, or if they are living in an area with a low potential for animal husbandry.

Bibliography

- Murnaghan, Ian. "Stem Cell Controversy." Stem Cell Controversy. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.<http://www.explorestemcells.co.uk/stemcellcontroversy.html>.

-Allott, Andrew, and David Mindorff. "Cell Biology." Biology. 2014 Edition ed. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2014. Print.

- Mandal, Ananya. "What Are Stem Cells?" News-Medical.net. 10 Jan. 2010. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.<http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-are-Stem-Cells.aspx>.

- "Stem Cell Basics." What Are the Potential Uses of Human Stem Cells and the Obstacles That Must Be Overcome before These Potential Uses Will Be Realized? [Stem Cell Information]. National Institutes of Health. Web. 4 Oct. 2015. <http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/pages/basics6.aspx>.